Friday, November 21, 2014

AM calls for help with railway extension

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called on the Transport Minister for Wales to support Phase 2 of the new extension of Llangollen Railway.

Last month the first passenger train ran into Dwyrain, Corwen East, completing Phase 1 of the Corwen Extension Project. Funding is now required for Phase 2.

Raising the matter in the Assembly Chamber this week, Mr Isherwood said: “High passenger demand has been welcomed on the Llangollen Railway. In its first 10-day season 4,000 passengers travelled on the new extension to Corwen.

“Of course, Welsh Government grant aid was provided for that. Originally, the Welsh Government looked at this on the basis of wider regeneration potential for Corwen as well as Llangollen and the wider area. Now, Phase 2 has to be funded because the original grant funding could not be provided in full.

“What consideration can you and your colleagues give to supporting Phase 2 for the delivery of a station in Corwen and the wider infrastructure to go with it?”

The Minister, Edwina Hart AM, Edwina Hart, said she could not provide “an absolutely positive answer on this issue” because “there are budgetary considerations for all of this.”

She added: “I can assure you that if the funds become available and we see successful operations we will be able to give further consideration to make them even more successful.”

Mr Isherwood added: “I am hugely impressed by the achievement of Llangollen Railway and its volunteers on the track extension to Corwen. They now deserve support for stage two and the region deserves the wider regeneration which this could bring.”